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Friday, 20 November 2015

KING ATTACKED OVER HUMAN RIGHTS

Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) has called on the
Commonwealth to ‘vigorously respond’ to the Government of Swaziland’s failings
on human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

It said King Mswati III, who rules Swaziland as
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, ‘must be held to account for its
serious breaches of the Commonwealth Charter’.

ACTSA, which is the successor to the Anti-Apartheid
Movement, issued
a report ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting due to be held in Malta on 27-29 November 2015.

In a submission to the Commonwealth Ministerial
Action Group, ACTSA said Swaziland’s lack of respect for Commonwealth
principles, along with its violations of international human rights law, resulted
in the subordination of the vast majority of the kingdom’s population.

The report noted the ‘growing internal criticism of
the Government of Swaziland, including a call for a transformation of the
political system’ and added ‘internal pressure for reform can be bolstered by
external pressure’.

ACTSA said Swaziland must address: bans on political
parties participating in the democratic process; restrictions on freedom of
expression; a weakened judiciary; and abuses of women’s rights.

The report challenged Swaziland’s response to
previous recommendations made by the Commonwealth and demanded that the
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group take action.

ACTSA’s Director, Tony Dykes, said in a statement,
‘The Swazi government has led the Commonwealth on a merry dance. If the
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group - and thus the Commonwealth as a whole -
is to command respect, it absolutely must take action to ensure Swaziland lives
up to the commitments it has made. The time has long come for the Commonwealth
Ministerial Action Group to formally consider the Government of Swaziland’s
status with respect to the Commonwealth Charter. The people of Swaziland
deserve nothing less.’